Combination electrical connecter device and fixture support



y R. B. BENJAMIN COMBINATION ELECTRICAL CONNECTER DEVICE AND FIXTURE SUPPORT Filed Oct. 27. 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII May 24 1927. 1,629,568

R. B. BENJAMIN COMBINATION ELECTRICAL CONNECTER DEVICE AND FIXTURE SUPPORT Filed Oct. 27. 1 2 s Sheets-Sheet 2 y R. B. BENJAMIN COMBINATION ELECTRICAL CONNECTER DEVICE AND FIXTURE SUPPORT Filed Oct. 27. 1920 s sheets-sheet 3 Patented May 24, 1927.

fiTATES PATENT REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, 1O]? CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR- TO BENJAMIN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLI- NOIS.

COMBINATION ELECTRICAL CONNECTER DEVICE AND FIXTURE SUPPORT.

Application filed October 27, 1920.

My invention relates toelectrical connecter devices, and more particularly to a combination electrical connector device and fixture support.

In electrical installations in buildings, it is desirable that the fixtures may be readily and uickly connected and disconnected with respectrto the outlet without making any soldered connectionatapered joints, etc, in

i ordenemong othenth'ings, that when desired a fixture of one type may be disconnected and replaced hya different type offixture. ltis also desirable that the fixture connection support will cooperate properly with l the receptacles which are constructed to rewhich can ,be easily and quickly connected and disconnected with respect to the receptacle, which w ll be securely held when in connected position and which will be eflicient in use, durable in construction and cheap to mamifacture.

Further objects will appear iroln the detailed description to .follow and "from the appended claims.

In the drawings in which several embodiments of my invention are shown-- Fig. 1 is a part elevational, part sectional View, showing}; an electrical receptacle and a Connector and fixture supporting device;

.l ig. 2 is a sect-ion on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a face .view of the device with the fixture disconnected;

Fig. 4 is a face view of the device with theconnectcr and fixture supporting device disconnected :Fig. 5 ,is iusection on ,the line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a. face view of the plug partof the device;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of asheet eta stainpingf 'ming e sec ng means;

Serial .No. 419,987.

Fig. 8 is'a perspective view of the insulating base of the plug part; 7

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view showing another form of the fixture support;

Fig. 10 is a face view of part oi the 111K: ture supporting device; and

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view showing another form of fixture support.

Referring to the drawings the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive, comprises an electrical receptacle 15 of a type wnich will receive the cap of an ordinary attachment plug, an electrical fixture 16, such as an angle socket or the like, and a combination electrical connecter and fixture supporting device 1}", which can be plugged in the receptacle 15 is a simple manner, and which by the simple operation of plugging in will electrically connect the contacts of the fixture 16 with the contacts of the receptacle 15, and will also effect a mechanical connectionwhich will support the fixture in proper position.

The receptacle 15 may be seated in an outlet box 18. The outlet box 18 may be providedwith a cover 19 having an opening 20 affording access tothe receptacle. In

addition to the cover 19, a suitable ornamental cover plate Qlltmay be provided having an opening 21 registering with the opening 20. trance portion 22 projecting into the openings 20 and 21, the outer surface of this entrance portion being substantial y flush with the ornamental cover plate 20;

' he receptacle is provided with con tacts 23 suitable for engaging the c ntacls at an ordinary separable attachi'nent plug. The entrance openii'igs 24 leading to the receptacle corn-acts 233 are n ade funnel-shaped. as described in the application of Stanley lllctll'atchie, Serial No. 490,660, filedAugust 2,1920, in order to permit of angular separation ot the attachment plug cap and also to facilitate plugging in by guiding the blades of. the cap into proper position with respect to the contacts 23.

The connecter and tiature support 1''? coinprisesa securing bracket member 25, which be a sheet metal stamping (Fig. 7) having a pair of latch members 26 for engaging the cover member 19 of, the outlet box apair of contact blades 27, similar to the ,blades of an iattal hment plugicap for The receptacle itself has an en tengaging the receptacle contacts 23, a pair of wiring terminals 27", one for each of the contact blades 27, an insulating base 28 (Fig. 8) mounted on the bracket and serving to support the contact blades 27 and a fixture connecting member 29 secured on the bracket 25 and having a nipple portion 30 into which the fixture stem 31 may be threaded. For holding together the bracket 25, the insulating base 28 and the fixture connectin member 29, a pair of. screws 32 are provir ed (Figs. 1 and 6) which extend through registering openings in the connected part and are threaded into the fixture connecting member 29. In order to with respect to the bracket 25, the base provide a passage for the wires connecting the contacts of the fixture 16 with the wiring terminals 27, the insulating base 28 is provided with an opening 33, and the bracket 25 is cut away as indicated at 34. For positioning the insulating base 8 is provided with a raised portion or boss 35, the edge of which conforms in shape to the edge of the cut away portion 36 of the bracket. In order to further position the insulating base 28 with respect to the bracket, a pair of arcuate bosses 37 are provided, the edges of which engage the edges of the cutaway portions 38 in the bracket. For atiording access to the .binding screws of the wiring terminals 27, the insulating base 28 is recessed at 39. whereby easy access may be had to the binding screws by means of a screw driver. I take advantage of the clearance provided by the funnel-shaped entrance openings 24 to thread the binding screws of the Wiring terminals 27 into the contact blades 27, so that these binding screws will extend into the funneled entrance openings, whereby a compact and simple construction is secured.

The latch members 26 are so designed that they can be connected and disconnected with respect to the outlet only by a swinging movement about a horizontal axis, the construction being such that the fixture must he swung upwardly to disconnect it so that the fixture supporting device is held in position by the weight of the supporting fixture. For this purpose the latch members 26 are provided With a notch 40 for engaging with the upper edge of the openings 41 in the cover 19 of the outlet box. In order that the bracket 25 may be connected or disconnected only by a movement about a horizontal axis, the lower edge of the latch portions 26 are made arcuate, as indicated at 42, the center of the are being approximately at the bottom of the notch 40, and the radius of the arc being substantially equal to the length of the slot 41. By reference to Fig. 5 it will be seen that such a construction necessitates that the connecting bracket shall be swung about a horizontal axis in connecting and disconnecting, and the weight of the supported fixture will hold the supporting bracket in connected position. In order to limit the downward swinging movement of the bracket in connecting and to afiord a firm support for the supported fixture, the bracket 25 is provided with a pair of stop shoulders 43, which swing into engagement with the cover plate 20 to limit the downward swinging movement of the supporting bracket when it is being connected. It will be noted that the supporting bracket and fixture will have to be moved to an angle of substantially forty-five degrees in connecting and disconnecting, so that there is no danger of accidental disconnecting of the bracket.

Referring somewhat more in detail to the receptacle 15, this comprises a two-part insulating base 44, in which the recesses 23 are located, the two parts being held together by means of tubulareyelets 45 (Fig. 1). The outlet box 18 is shown as having secured thereto a screw-threaded supporting nipple 46, of a type already in use in out let boxes, this nipple having in previous constructions been used as a support for the stem of the fixture, which stem was screwed onto the threaded part of the nipple. In the present construction the receptacle 15 may be secured to this threaded nipple 46 by means of a pair of screws 47 (Fig. 1) which extend through openings in the cover plate 19 and also through the eyelets 45, and are threaded into a sheet metal bracket 48. This sheet metal bracket 48 may be secured on the nipple 46 by means of a nut 49. The screws 47 thus serve to hold the cover plate 19 and the receptacle 15 in position in the outlet box 18.

In using the device the fixture 16 may be connected and disconnected with respect to the receptacle 15 without the use of any tools, simply by swinging the fixture up sufficiently to disconnect the latch members 26, and may be connected simply by reversing the operation, that is, by tipping the fixture up atan angle and inserting the contact blades 27 into the entrance openings 24 and the latch members 26 into the openings 41, and then swinging the fixture downwardly until the stop members 42 engage the cover plate 20.

The construction shown in Figs. 9and 10 is substantially the same as that just described, except as to the manner in which the supported fixture is connected to the fixture supporting member. The receptacle 15, and the connecting and fixture supporting member 17 may be the same as in the form previously described, but a sheet metal supporting bracket 50 is provided for connecting the supported fixture, this sheet metal member 50 being secured to the member 17 by means of the screw 32 which is threaded into this connecting member. 50. This connecting member 50 has an upwardly extending outwardly curved securing post 51. back of which the sheet metal. cross-piece or strap of the fixture ma he slipped. whereby the fixture may be held in position with re spect to the fixture SHPPOltlDg member l'i'. This strap 52 extends horizontally across a dished sheet metal finishing member or canopy 53, to which the fixture stem 54 is socured. the ends oi the cross-piece or strap 5:2 being secured adjacent the edges of the canopy 5?).

The fixture is secured in place on the fixture supporting member by lifting it up sul'liciently to enable the cross-piece 52 to clear the upper edge of the inwardly extending member fit). and then slipping the fixture inwardly and downwardly to on; the strap in back of the upwardly extending member .30. The wirer Iii) leading from the fixture to the wiring terminals E2? of the fixture supporting member are made slacl: enough to permit of this connecting and disconnecting movement of the fixture. In order to provide a passage tor the teed wires from the fixture supporting" member l? to the fixture. the insulating base 28 is provided with a pair of grooves as (Fig.

in some localities it is required that the exposed metallic parts of the fixture shall be grounded. while in other localities it is required that the exposed metallic parts of the fixture shall not be grounded. In order to take care of both 01 these situations the bracket member is provided with a downwardly extending ton;, ;ue 57. This tongue car: be bent from the tull line position shown in Fig, 9 to the dotted line position. in the t'ull line position it. in contact with the metallic bracket 25 while in the dotted line position it is spaced therefrom. \i'hcn in engagement with the bracket 25. the exposed metallic part of the fixture will be grounded through the canopy 51%. the strap a). the bracket Til and the bracket 25?. which mounted on the cover of the. outlet box, which is grounded through the metallic conduit.

The term shown in Fig. 11 is substantially the same as the form shown in Fig. 9, except that the canopy 53 of the fixture is secured to the bracket member 50 by means of a screw .38 extending through a central opening in the canopy or ornamental cover member 53 and threaded into the bracket an. The canopy or cover 5:; has a bracket;

59 extending therefrom for supporting the rest of the fixture.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Lettcl's Patent of the United States is:

l. The combination with a receptacle having contacts and a fixture for cooperation with said receptacle, of a combination electrical connector and fixture supporting device comprising a sheet metal member having a pair of latch members having pivotal engagement with respect to said receptacle to swing about an axis extending transversely with respect to the axis of the receptacle. and a pair of stop members for limiting the pivotal movement with respect to said receptacle.

2. The combination with a fixture. of a combination electrical connectcr and fixture supporting device having contacts for engagement with the contacts ot a receptacle, and mechanical means for detachal'ily securing said device in position with respect to the receptacle comprising a. latching member provided with means whereby it grounded when the device is in position with respect. to the receptacle. and means whereby said fixture may be connected and disconnected electrically with respect to said grounded latching member.

3. The combination with a fixture and a rece 'itacle of means tor mechanically and electrically connecting said fixture with respect to said receptacle comprising an insulating base, contacts mounted thereon for engaging the receptacle contacts, a fixture supporting member mounted on said insulating base and means whereby said fixture supporting-member may be electrically connected or disconnected with respect to a ground.

The combination with a fixture and a receptacle of means for mechanically and electrically com'iecting said fixture with respect to said receptacle comprising an insulating base. contacts mounted thereon l'or engaging the. receptacle contacts. a metallic attaching member secured to said insulating base for securii'ig it in position with respect to the receptacle, and a fixture sup porting member mounted on said insulating base. comprising a. metallic member having a portion which may be bent into or out of engagement with respect to said attaching bracket.

In witness whereof. I have hereunto subscribed my name.

HlQllBEN B. BENJAMIN. 

